Thomas (15 page)

“
Funny thing about this
mind reading thing Nic gave me…I can read everyone’s but his.” She
didn’t say anything to him as she limped slowly to the chair.
“You’re wondering about Thomas. What would you like for me to tell
you?”

Linyah pulled on her boots. It was
slow going and so painful she wanted to cry, but she finally got
them on. Lacing them up was impossible, so she left them hanging
open with the laces stuffed into the top of the leather. She leaned
back in the chair and looked at Misha when he laughed.

“
He is well and happy, I’m
assuming.” Misha nodded. She also figured that he was pissed. “I
have not messed with his things in several days, and I did clean up
before I left. If he is angry about that, then it isn’t my fault.
It’s been three days. Tell him to get over it.”

“
I read the notes he left
you.” She nodded. She had seen them all despite Libby stealing them
from the house when she didn’t think she’d notice. Linyah knew it
was her and that she was more than likely giving them to her
sister, and they were both getting a big laugh out of them. It
would be just like them to bind them into a book and sell simply
because her sister was queen. “There was no cause for that, and I
told him so. If you’d like to know what I said to him, then ask.
I’ll be more than happy to give you a blow by blow of what
transpired between us.”

“
I really don’t want you
interfering into what happens between the two of us. And I don’t
need you to help me, Misha. I’m a big girl who can care for
herself.” She didn’t look at him when he made an odd noise. She
pretended to be interested in the lint on her uniform. Thomas did
that as well, a cross between a growl and a snort. “What goes on
between your brother and me is private.”

“
Not when it is at the
cost of hurting one or both of you.” She didn’t know why he even
cared and said so. “Because as much as you make him pissed off, you
amuse me. And you’re a part of my leap. And Hannah thinks the world
of you.” She liked the young bitch too. And wondered if she was
okay too. But instead of entrenching herself into their lives more
when she might be leaving them, she stood up.

“
I have to find my
sister.” She started for the bedside table to get her gun and
nearly sobbed when she noticed he was standing there looking like a
man who would fight her. “If you raise your fists to me, I will get
back at you. I may not be in the best of shape, but I will heal
sometime and then I will—”

“
I have told him that he
will no longer be welcome in my leap if he doesn’t treat you as he
wants to be treated. There will be no more notes such as the ones
he’s been leaving you. And he will not order you about like you’re
five.” She sat down, not sure what good that was going to do. “You
should have come to me when you got the first one. It’s not right
that he did this in the first place. Mom didn’t raise him to be an
ass.”

“
Come to you? For what?”
He sat down too. “What would you have been able to do? Make him
like me? No thanks. I have people who are made to like me and she
hates me all the more for it. And I think this arrangement will
work out better for the two of us. I’ll see him when he needs to
have sex and leave his things alone.”

“
Your sister loves you
very much.” She shook her head at him. “You’re wrong if you think
otherwise. I don’t think Kendra hates you. I think…from what I’ve
heard around here lately, I would say that she’s in awe of
you.”

“
Awe? What are you
drinking? Awe? She…she’s queen and I’m a lowly princess. One who is
nothing like her, not worthy of her time unless she needs something
from me. It’s better for us both, her and me, if you just leave
this alone. And the thing with your brother. I will…I have decided
to do what is necessary to keep him safe.”

“
At what cost to you?” She
didn’t answer. “Do you know why you haven’t healed? It was my
understanding that when you found your male, you became invincible.
You’d heal quickly and not be down when someone hurt you. But
you’re not healing like he does. Do you know why?”

“
What does it matter?” She
knew why. He didn’t want her, and until he accepted her into his
heart, then she was no different—in fact, worse off—than she’d been
before she’d met him. “I will heal.”

“
You love him, don’t you,
Linyah? And if it’s not love, then you have accepted him as a part
of you. Is that right? You’ve accepted him as your other half?” She
nodded. “Do you love him?”

“
No. But he is my male and
that’s all that’s necessary.” Misha nodded and stood up. “What
concern is this of yours? I have done nothing to warrant you coming
here. I’m hurt, yes, but I have been before. My sister is missing,
but that is really no concern of yours either. What possible reason
could you have for coming here and telling me this
stuff?”

“
You, as I have said
before, are a part of my leap. And as Thomas’s mate, you are also
my sister-in-law. I care for those who matter to me.” He laughed
when she told him to fuck off. “That might work with some of the
men who work with you, but I know you better. You’re very hurt by
all this and I’m going to help you fix it.”

“
I don’t want your help.
And you have no reason to feel any obligation toward me. We have
made our lives what they are and will learn to live with it. What
does it matter?” He said nothing as he moved to the door. “What are
you going to do about him, Misha? Order him about as he’s done to
me? That will not make him accept me.”

“
No. I’m not going to do
anything. I will…Hannah wants me to tie the two of you together and
lock you in a room with a large bed. But I don’t think that will
work. The two of you have no issues in that department.” Her face
heated, and he smiled. “I didn’t think so. But I will do nothing.
Not unless I have to.”

She didn’t know what that meant but
said nothing. As soon as he left her she leaned back in the chair
and reached for her sister. No one, not even her sister, knew that
she could reach for anyone she wanted no matter where they were or
who they were. When she felt Kendra’s weakness and pain, Linyah
knew that no matter what she’d have to find her.

Do you know where you
are?
Kendra tried to hide her pain, but it
was only making her weaker.
Don’t do that.
You’re only making yourself weaker, and a weak queen is a dead one.
You have to let me find you. If you want, you can tell everyone
that you got out on your own rather than tell them I did
it.

I love you.
Linyah felt her heart take an unexpected twist at
her sister’s words
. I love you so very
much. And if you’d be so kind as to come and get me, I’ll show you
just how much.

You don’t have to tell me
that, Kendra. I’ll still come and—

Shut up, you stubborn
fool. I love you. And I’m sorry for whatever I did to you to make
you hate me.
Before she could tell her
she’d done nothing, Kendra continued
. I’ve
been a horrible queen, a terrible person, and the worse sister in
all of the worlds. I shouldn’t have interfered in your life. I
should have…I’m so proud of you. And all that you do for me. I’ve
never…I’ve been so jealous of you since the day you transported us
from our room to the swimming hole when I was thirteen.

You said you wanted to
play.
Linyah felt her laughter and
smiled.
I need to come and get you. Do you
know where you are?

I’m not sure. But we’re
close to a town. He brings me food and he’s not gone long. Have you
heard of a place called Marco’s? They have this thing called a
pizza.
Linyah told her she knew where it
was and what a pizza was.
It’s not…I don’t
think I care for it overly much, but he really likes it.

What kind have you
tried?
Linyah was trying to distract her
sister when Thomas was suddenly standing in front of her. She
turned her back to him as she continued talking to her
sister.
I’ll be there soon. I have to wait
until he comes back in to follow him. Will you be able to hold on
for a bit longer?

Yes. Linyah, we’re going
to have to talk when I get back. I mean…I’ve messed up so much
between us, all I can think about is how this is all my fault. I
should have let you live the way you wanted.
Linyah said nothing but turned when Thomas said her
name.
Do you have company?

Yes. Thomas is here. I’m
assuming that Misha sent him.
Her sister
laughed.
This is not a situation that you
should be involved in right now, if ever. What I want you to
concentrate on is trying to think where you are and the bath you’re
going to need when you get here. I’ve been around Timmer. He
stinks. I will come for you soon.

“
Hello.” She didn’t say
anything to Thomas when he spoke, but she did nod her head. “I’ve
just figured out how to pop in and out of this place. I had no idea
it was that easy. I mean, it was at home, but here? Had no
idea.”

“
I’m very busy.” He nodded
but didn’t leave. “Seriously, if this is about anything I’ve done
to your home, I’ll fix it when I get ba—”

“
I was wrong to do that to
you.” She didn’t say anything, and he stood there. “You’re very
pissed, aren’t you?”

“
No.” He raised a brow.
“I’m not pissed. What would be the point in using that sort of
energy for something that would get me nowhere? I simply don’t care
any longer. You have your life and I’m going to make one for me.
One that doesn’t involve you and your neat freak
lifestyle.”

“
My mother is really
pissed off. And Hannah won’t speak to me. They think I’m a fool.”
Linyah wondered if he expected her to say he wasn’t, but she
couldn’t lie to him. “I am a fool.”

“
What is it you want from
me? I’ve done what you’ve told me. But I’m not going to be…I can’t
live with you full time. When you want sex or something we can do
it, but I can’t live with you. Not and not want to kill you every
minute of every day.” He nodded and sat down. “I have to go. My
sister needs me.”

“
I understand that. But
you can listen to me for a second. I would like for you to listen
to me for a second, please. I want us to start over.” She shook her
head and he nodded. “Please? I want us to…I would like for you to
give me another chance.”

“
At what?” Her body was
betraying her and rather than fall on her face, she sat down. “What
do you think us starting over can do for this? Nothing. You have
your own way of doing things and I can’t live with that. It’s as
simple as that. I’m too old to be expected to change overnight. And
that’s just what you want. Perfection. I’m not that.”

“
You are, I just never
noticed it before. And I can’t live without you.” She started to
tell him he’d get over it when she messed something up of his
again, but he continued. “I miss you in the house. I miss waking up
next to you, smelling you in the house—our house—when you’re moving
from one room to the next. Mike said that you have him trying some
of the things you eat here. He made me paltate last night, and all
I could think of was sharing it with you.”

Her favorite dish. It was made with
fresh lobster and shrimp, baked in a clay pot until it was done.
Then lavender and rice was put with it that had been cooked in
another pot. Carrots and paltate, a small tuber that tasted like a
mixture of potato and squash was put with it all and served on a
sizzling pan. Her mouth watered just thinking about it. But she had
to go and stood up. As soon as she did, she felt the difference
immediately.

“
What are you doing?” He
shrugged but didn’t move. “You can’t want me in your life. Take it
back. I just don’t have time for you being an idiot right
now.”

“
I don’t think it’s
possible for me to take it back. Even if I wanted to.” He stood up
too and moved slowly toward her. She might have backed up a little,
but the chair she’d been sitting in blocked her. “I want to touch
you. I want to…I know you have to go to find your sister, but the
thought of laying you over that bed and holding you in my arms for
all eternity makes me sad to see you go.”

“
It’s just sex, Thomas.”
He shook his head. “Then I don’t understand. What do you want of
me? I don’t have anything else to give you.”

“
I want you to love me.
Forever. I want you to take me into your heart as I have done and
love me forever. Please?” She didn’t answer him but felt his
fingers glide over her arm. The hair there danced, and her blood
heated. “I’ve been falling in love with you all along. I’ve been…I
think that fighting with you, shoving you away, was a way for me to
not admit that it was happening. I didn’t want my life to change,
and I was blaming you for it.”

“
You don’t know me enough
to love me.” His lips moved over her throat and she moaned. “I
don’t have time for this.”

“
I know.” But he didn’t
stop. In fact, he nipped at her throat so hard that she had to hold
onto him or fall. “I love the taste of your skin. The way your body
comes to life when I touch you. I especially love when you’re
aroused and you perfume the air with your scent.”